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Thread: Coming back after not playing/ maintaining muscles in embouchure

  1. Coming back after not playing/ maintaining muscles in embouchure

    Does anyone have advice on what to do after not playing for a week or more importantly tips for maintaining your muscles off the horn?

    I'm asking because I was just in Colorado for a week were I was not able to play euphonium. Right now I'm following the advice on steven meads website http://www.euphonium.net/articles.php?revID=6 for coming back. but what I'm worried about is that I'm going to England for 3 weeks to visit family and I will only have 2 weeks after I return before the MMEA all state camp takes place. I have heard it is a lot of playing and I'm worried that I will not be in good enough shape (Auditions for chair placement are the first day of the camp).

    In addition, I am not sure if I will have access a horn in England. I have a hosaphone that I made about half a year ago, but I don't know if that would help/ I could actually play it for a decent amount of time. So again if anyone has advice it would be extremely helpful.


  2. #2

    Coming back after not playing/ maintaining muscles in embouchure

    That's a good bit of downtime before an important event. However, if you take a mouthpiece with you, and if you can get some private time away from people who won't be offended by wierd noises, you can do some buzzing exercises every day to maintain you conditioning. Also, you have two weeks between your return and the camp; in my experience, that much time, with daily playing, should bring you back pretty close to what you were.

    Caveat -- I am not a pro, and my experience is limited. The pros might have some better advice.



    David Bjornstad

    1923 Conn New Wonder 86I, Bach 6 1/2 AL
    2018 Wessex EP100 Dolce, Denis Wick 4ABL
    2013 Jinbao JBEP-1111L, Denis Wick 4AM
    2015 Jinbao JBBR-1240, Denis Wick clone mouthpiece of unknown designation
    Cullman (AL) Community Band (Euph Section Leader)
    Brass Band of Huntsville (2nd Bari)

  3. Coming back after not playing/ maintaining muscles in embouchure

    I have used either just the mouthpiece or take along a 12 foot (or close to that) length of plastic tubing - lowes or home depot. You can actual trim the tubing so you have close to correct intonation. The back pressure helps to stabilize the chops more than just the mouthpiece since you will be using it for so long. You could also just use the mouthpiece with your pinky half over the end to provide the backpressure.

    Then it is just a case of doing long tones, flexibility work and tonging exersizes - all played fairly softly. If you can sneak in 30 minutes a day it will help. You can also do melodic exersizes with just the mouthpiece, but I would take care not to over do it. I find there is a loss of interval control if you don't stick to the overtone series (think bugle calls).



    Besson 767 New Standard, SM 4U
    Irondequoit Concert Band & Penfield Pops, Rochester NY area

    F-Alphorn, Hubert Hense maker, Alderwood
    Alphorn Society of Western NY

  4. Coming back after not playing/ maintaining muscles in embouchure

    Yeah I have a hosaphone (I think that's what the plastic tubing is called), but mine is messed up. It's harmonic series is very odd it goes something like E, C#, F#, Ab, C, Eb etc... Do you know the length for eatch fundamental pitch? Because I'd like mine to be in Bb.


  5. #5
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    Coming back after not playing/ maintaining muscles in embouchure

    I'm not sure it's all that important. The purpose is to exercise - or keep your chops in shape. The hose just offers a bit of back pressure, which I do by just adding my little finger over part of the shank when buzzing in the car on the way to a gig.

    I remember Pat Sheridan sharing the story of the years (while in middle school or HS) when he practiced on a 'B' natural sousaphone. Since the whole Sousy wouldn't fit in his Mom's car, they left the detachable bell at school thus putting it in the key of 'B'.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  6. Coming back after not playing/ maintaining muscles in embouchure

    Inevitably, there would be some form of down time that would hinder you from being able to play at an upscale level but there should be no problem with it, really.

    Pretty much how it is with your equipment, there needs to be some preparation time to make everything get back into proper working condition. And hope that everything bodes well that fast. I wish you well with it!


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